Making skeds blend for all?

Some time last month, we discussed how a conflict of schedules was due to take place this month between the ongoing FIBA Asia Under 16 Championships in Vietnam and the local school leagues. The FIBA Asia tournament is a ten-day gathering of the continent’s best youth players, with the winner proceeding/qualifying for the world championships later in the basketball calendar.

The concern is that many of the national team’s key players are also part of their respective school teams playing in various local leagues. The sad part is that these schools aren’t allowing their players to don the colors of the country. Before discussing this further, it might be wise to check if other similar conflicts take place in the bigger leagues.

As a benchmark, the FIBA calendar of tournaments for the world level is a good example. The FIBA just held a series of Olympic qualifier tournaments across the globe with very familiar faces playing for their respective national teams. When we talk about familiar faces, these aren’t just ordinary faces; we’re talking about the world’s best players making good use of their offseason by playing for their respective flags. A common sight was NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, the Gasol brothers and more in Europe. We also saw Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and JJ Barea also playing at the FIBA Americas tournament, again without any conflict of skeds between the FIBA and the NBA. All these pros are playing with the consent of their mother ballclubs.

These FIBA tournaments were held when the entire basketball world’s pro leagues were observing their offseasons or summer breaks. This is a perfect example of how the biggest tournaments can blend and not be in conflict with each other. Going outside basketball, football is another good case study. The World Cup, Euro Cups and major international leagues don’t mix with the skeds of the professional leagues. In fact, the schedule of ongoing pro leagues is also held together with bigger events such as the UEFA Champions League. The European pro season is like a two-in-one package: two leagues being held at the same time but not in conflict with each other. In both basketball and football, all these tournaments found a way to co-exist for the benefit of all.

On the local front, the PBA, the country’s biggest league, also gives way to the bigger tournaments such as the FIBA Asia Championships, Asia’s Olympic qualifier tournament. Pros were allowed to join the Smart Gilas Pilipinas team at the FIBA Asia Championships. It wasn’t a perfect situation and could still be improved, but there was an effort to accommodate both sides.

The ongoing case of the FIBA Asia Under 16 Championships is really interesting. It’s a case of how the smaller leagues ironically can’t learn from the big boys. San Beda didn’t allow three of its players to play for the Philippine team because they are playing for the championship of the NCAA. Another Philippine Youth team player from La Salle Greenhills was not allowed to play for the same reason. In their twisted world, an NCAA championship is more important than a stint in the FIBA Asia tournament or an opportunity to play for the country. It’s an example of a false sense of Pinoy pride. Wow!

Moreover, the NCAA and other school leagues don’t believe in following the example being set by the FIBA, NBA and European professional leagues. Their sked must go on regardless of what’s happening outside. The weird thing is that the NCAA allowed San Beda to play in a tournament in Singapore earlier during the season and made an adjustment in their sked for this. While this was a great example of giving way to an international event, why can’t they do the same for the FIBA Asia? It sure looks like a case of double standards, doesn’t it?

How I wish all sides can work together and co-exist for the good of the country. It’s high time that our schools and school leagues be pro-active and take on a genuine love for country for the good of all. It’s actually a win-win scenario. By allowing their players to play on the national team, we get the best players to play for the flag, and by playing for the country, they also get to bring back to their home teams tons of learning and experience which eventually benefit the mother team. The school leagues will also be more respected and dignified for giving way to tournaments in which our country is represented. Not a bad deal, isn’t it?

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Time-out: To our friends at Smart BRO, thanks for the quick action on our concern. You acted quickly to maintain a customer instead of letting him go. >>> You can reach me at [email protected] Talk